Obituary

On Wednesday evening, May 29, 2024, with family by her side, Mary Lynne Castle, 84, passed away peacefully after a battle with cancer and dementia.

Mary was born on August 14, 1939 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the second of six Kiander siblings. She graduated from Central High School in 1957 followed by Central Michigan University in 1961. She participated in all the sports available to her at the time: cheerleading and field hockey, for which she received a varsity letter 40 years later along with her teammates. She loved nearly all sports and never missed watching the games of her grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and her friends’ kids. She also enjoyed music (any upbeat song would have her toe tapping and head bobbing) singing, acting, tap dancing, clogging, participating in clubs, going to dances and parties, and generally having a good time with her wide group of friends and family. While in college, mutual friends introduced her to Gerald “Jerry” Castle. They soon started dating and met each other’s families, both of whom told them that they had found “a keeper” and they wed on January 28,1961 in Cedar Springs, MI. Both graduating with teaching degrees, they began their careers in Houghton Lake, MI. Shortly thereafter, their three children, Daniel, James, and Jennifer, were born.

In 1968, adventure called and Mary and Jerry spent the summer in Wrangell, AK to help build a house for brother-in-law Ron Castle. Thoroughly enjoying Alaska and wanting to live near family, Jerry applied for a teaching position there, but after it fell through, opportunity knocked and he accepted a position at the high school in Ketchikan, AK. They moved kit and kaboodle during the summer of 1969. On the road trip there, Mary recalled crying until they hit the Rocky Mountains as she deeply loved all her family and friends in Michigan. She wrote letters “home” faithfully every week for many years. However, she embraced their new life in Alaska and developed many friends who soon became her Alaskan family.

She thoroughly enjoyed being a mom and homemaker, but when they bought a home, she returned to work. Mary taught for 22 years at Schoenbar Middle School where nearly all Ketchikan students either had her as their PE or English teacher. She loved teaching and enjoyed the camaraderie of both students and staff. She was quite proud to be involved with the opening of both Kayhi and Valley Park swimming pools where she taught countless children and adults how to swim. She became a Red Cross WSIT (water safety instructor trainer) teaching others to teach swimming in Ketchikan and at Red Cross camps in Anchorage, Hawaii, and Guam. Along with going to English reading and writing conventions, one of her favorite school trips was chaperoning the 8th grade survival trips and bringing students to Japan on the first exchange trip to sister city, Kanayama.

Always the life of the party and instigator of fun, Mary thrived on planning and attending gatherings with her family back in Michigan and her Alaskan families, which included monthly Steak Club dinners, boat camping, trips around the island, skiing in Smithers, BC (a Christmas tradition from the late 70s-80s), traveling holiday dinner parties, and regular family reunions and get togethers, just to name a few. She loved being involved and volunteering with The Pioneers of Alaska Women’s Igloo #7 and Rainy Day Quilters. She enjoyed sewing, quilting, scrapbooking, crafting, baking, cooking, and was known for having a keen eye for treasures and bargains at garage sales. She loved to share stories and laughs and generously welcomed guests to her home, picking them up off the ferry and hosting them at her house. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her.

Mary was preceded in death by her beloved parents Arvid and Marjorie Kiander, brother Andy Kiander, and sister Martha Jean Kiander. Mary is survived by her husband of 63 years, Jerry Castle, sons Daniel (Jennifer) Castle & James Castle, daughter Jen (Bill) Whicker, brother Arvid (Marianne) Kiander, Thomas (Vivian) Kiander, Eric Kiander (Diana Moelker), brother-in-law Gerard Hemmes (Martha Jean Kiander), sister-in-law Luann (Andy) Kiander, beloved grandchildren; Jeffrey Whicker, Louie Whicker, Nicholas Whicker, Brandon Castle, Ada Castle, Riley Castle, Timothy Castle, and many nieces and nephews.